


Blue Blood

by zinmarie



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Buckle up kids, F/M, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Pre-Time Skip, Psychological Trauma, Rough Sex, dimileth, dimitri x byleth, dimitri x f!byleth, dimitri x female byleth, fire emblem has consumed my life, gory events, slight twist in plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-10 23:56:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20536772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zinmarie/pseuds/zinmarie
Summary: "You lost your mind in the soundThere's so much more, you can reclaim your crownYou're in controlRid of the monsters inside your headPut all your faults to bedYou can be King again."-- King by Lauren Aquilina (song)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> *SPOILERS WILL HAPPEN SO CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION*
> 
> So Fire Emblem: Three Houses came out a few weeks ago. 
> 
> I already put like 90+ hours into the game and the Blue Lion route was my first playthrough. I chose it because lances are hella cool and I thought I should romance Felix. However precious, dark Dimitri busted into my heart and I ended up romancing him. The entire storyline was AMAZING and I was crying at the end after the final fight (you know the cutscene). So obviously I had to write some fanfiction about this fantastic ship and literally pour all my fangirl shrieks into it! 
> 
> The hope is writing about the struggle between Byleth and Dimitri as they fight the war against the Empire, and how they slowly reconnect again. Smut will be a thing, and I'll be following the original plot with some alterations here and there. I'll also be discussing what happened to Dimitri's eye (my poor bby;;;;). So sit tight and enjoy.

It was not supposed to happen and time had escaped from her slender fingers like sand. She berated herself for being so careless and allowing such things to even be conceived into existence...

She was his professor.

Nothing more, nothing less. 

A mere mercenary tasked by the archbishop of the church of Saint Seiros, Lady Rhea, with said role to guide, train, and develop the young minds of the Blue Lions. The proper behavior was to remain neutral and not form any romantic interest in any of her students even if they were all mostly a couple of years younger than her. It was also her duty to help them grow to become fine nobles and knights who may serve their respective kingdoms. 

And yet Byleth had foolishly broken one of the rules… 

Sothis, the progenitor god she hosted within herself, had casually brought it up in one of their many conversations during the evening. Of course, it had surprised her that such a thing would be uttered by Sothis. The goddess had even laughed at how blind Byleth could be when it came to matters of the heart despite her sharpness in the battlefield. But honestly she could not argue against what Sothis said. Previously she caught herself a multitude of times staring at the future king of Faerghus, Dimitri Blayddid, in what she assumed to have been admiration… or perhaps something more? She was confused by the emotions swirling in her heart whenever he smiled at her...

That beautiful, kind smile of his. It always took her breath away somehow. 

She never thought she would be so friendly with a noble, especially someone preparing to soon ascend to the throne. However, Dimitri was an exception by always being a friendly presence in her life but also being available for her, no matter the reason or need. He would sometimes request additional tutoring in certain subjects or simply ask her opinion on tactical warfare, a specific topic that was popular amongst the students that he wished to discuss, or even inquire curiously about her life prior to living in Garreg Mach. Those times, to Byleth, were precious even if she was doing her job by teaching or forming a friendship with her student. It was only because Dimitri had shown her such kindness and friendliness, surprisingly more so than Annette, Mercedes or Ashe. He was gentle but respectful towards her, supportive and loyal when it came to her decisions, and most importantly, he protected her countless times in the battlefield. 

Yesterday had been one of those times. They had left in the afternoon and were almost finished defeating a band of thieves that threatened to enter Garreg Mach through the southern border. While her group of students were occupied landing blow after blow into the enemies, one rogue thief took the opportunity to shoot arrows towards Byleth. Before she could react due to fending off two thieves, Dimitri had stepped in front of her, lance at the ready, and with a quick jerk of the weapon, he deflected all but one that stabbed him on his shoulder. It had landed just right, piercing the area between his armor plating and boring into his skin. Byleth thought about reversing time to undo the injury but she was limited for the day and based on how Dimitri held his ground, she was certain the wound was not life-threatening. Manuela would surely patch him up. Her confirmation came by the way he yanked the arrow off of his shoulder, threw it to the side just as he leapt towards the thief, slashing his lance’s blade cleanly across the other’s chest and bow. With a grunt, the thief immediately fell to the ground and blood began to sip out of the large gash, soaking the ground beneath. His chest stopped rising, signaling he was dead. 

Regardless Byleth approached Dimitri and placed a hand on his shoulder blade. “Are you okay?” 

Dimitri turned to her, a reassuring smile gracing his sharp features. It was perhaps a good thing to have no heart, especially during moments like these because she was sure it would have jumped a little. “Yes, Professor,” he nodded while stabbing the lance into the ground so he could check his shoulder. “Do not concern yourself over me. A visit to Professor Manuela will heal this minor wound.” 

Byleth frowned but before she could reply, the rest of the Blue Lion students approached them with their weapons in hand. 

“Your Highness, are you all right?” Dedue asked, his towering form stepping through the students to stand by Dimitri. 

“Oh, goodness, did you get injured?” Mercedes gasped, covering her mouth partially in worry. 

“Injured? Serves the boar prince right,” Felix followed with a scoff, shaking his head as he sheathed his sword into its covering that clung from his belt. “You are too reckless as always.”

“Felix! Mind your words!” Ingrid snapped, elbowing her friend on his side. 

Dimitri laughed softly, placing a hand over his wound. “Please it is fine. Do not fret! Once we return to Garreg Mach, I will visit Professor Manuela and tend to my injury. You have my word.” 

“I will accompany you, your Highness,” Dedue quickly offered with a bow but Dimitri brushed it off. 

“There is no need, Dedue, but I am thankful for your concern.” 

Byleth sighed, accustomed to how the blonde-haired young man always remained nonchalant about injuries sustained in battle or training, but of course she worried anyways. This was her student, also a high-class noble she must protect… and someone she held very dear for a reason she couldn’t yet fully understand. But she felt it possibly transcended perhaps the mere bond a professor and student would share, maybe even that of friends. 

She snapped out of her thoughts, the unknown, fluttery feeling in her stomach being mentally shoved aside. Then she cleared her throat before projecting her voice over the loud conversation occurring between her students, “Let’s return home. I will personally take Dimitri to the infirmary as well.” 

The crowd of students nodded and followed behind their professor, making their way up the hills and through the forest until the stone walls of Garreg Mach rose in front of them. Once inside the gates and past the reception hall, the crowd dispersed as they each went their own separate ways to do as they pleased with the rest of the evening. Some left in the direction of the church, others back to the dorms, and a few went towards training area. Dedue had been the only one to linger behind as always but Dimitri’s insistence to go enjoy himself with the others was what caused him to finally leave, despite a look of reluctance displayed fiercely in the Duscurian’s features. 

“He worries too much,” Dimitri chuckled as he walked next to Byleth up the stairs to the second floor of the church. “I cannot blame him since I am reckless at times. I am grateful for having such a good ally by my side.”

Byleth nodded her head in agreement and smiled a little, “You should be.”

“Ah Professor, we can part from each other here,” the future king bowed politely once they reached the main hallway of the second floor, but the mercenary declined. 

“You are stuck with me, whether you like it or not,” is the only response she gave him before continuing trekking down the hall and around the corner, knowing very well Dimitri would not go against her wishes. 

She noticed the door for Manuela’s room was wide open yet it was vacant. No sight of the priestess whatsoever. Had she gone out to the nearby town to find herself a suitor for the night? Hm, that seemed very likely. After all, she was the type of woman who enjoyed spending her free time sleeping with men in the hope they would fall in love with her or just to obtain some pleasure for a few hours. 

Not that Byleth would know what the feeling of lust is. She only knew of it thanks to the countless stories she heard from other mercenaries, seeing things whenever her father Jeralt and her visited towns late at night, or Manuela oversharing her previous night’s adventures as she called them. But Byleth had never been interested. It did not seem fun or attractive to her. Fighting with a sword against a large group of foes was more appealing.

Returning to the matter at hand, she wondered what to do. Even though Manuela wasn’t present, she had given permission to the young mercenary out of trust to use whatever aids she needed from the center cabinet. Keeping that in mind, Byleth retrieved some bandages and a small jar filled with a sweet-scented ointment then turned to the prince and stated without reservation, “Take off the top of your uniform.”

Visibly flustered with a blush spreading across his cheeks, Dimitri stuttered, “P-Pardon me, Professor!?” 

The teal-haired instructor gently gripped the azure cloth draped over his left shoulder and pulled. “I want to treat your wound with the ointment Manuela has. This is in the way.” She then motioned for him to sit on the couch. 

“P-Professor, would it not be best to get this treated whenever she returns? Or perhaps in a less public place? This is her room after all and I would be ashamed if she found us in such a compromising situation,” he replied, his voice thick with worry while he remained frozen in place. 

She pondered over his words carefully. He is right; it would look… inappropriate if they were seen. The other place she could think of would be… “What about my room?” It was private and no one would see them if that was his concern.

The blush spread more fiercely across his face. “I believe that would make matters worse. There are rules to be followed here in Garreg Mach and a man should not be in a woman’s quarters behind closed doors. It is not proper.” 

Ugh, those rules were silly and unnecessary, although she understood why they existed. To stop anyone from misbehaving so deviantly but she was sure students had found secretive ways to break those rules. Sylvain came to mind. 

Although she had not meant it in such a lustful manner. It was an innocent suggestion, but even so, the thoughts had already been conjured in her mind. It took everything to force them out and keep her cool composure.

“Then here will be fine. Now undress, Dimitri. I would hate for it to become infected,” she stated strictly, placing a hand on her tilted hip. And as if she could read his thoughts, she added, “Don’t worry. Knowing Manuela, she won’t return until later this evening. The door is also open.” 

With a bit of hesitation, Dimitri unbuckled the blue cloth from his dark uniform and draped it over the armrest of the couch as he sat down. While he unbuttoned the officer’s academy jacket, she gathered the remaining materials and placed them on the table before them. However when she faced him, she momentarily froze. 

Her blue eyes landed on his muscular torso, tracing absentmindedly the scars that contrasted sharply against his pale skin. She also admired how fit he was and the broadness of his shoulders. The temptation to trail her fingertips across his chest was… overwhelming. She also wondered if he was as soft as she imagined he would be.

“Professor?” 

His voice snapped her out of her trance and she glanced at him, holding a damp cloth in her hands. Without her realizing, she had been tightly gripping it, water dripping slightly down her arm. 

“I’m sorry, I spaced out.” 

Byleth sat down next to him and lighty began to wipe away at the blood already drying up on his skin, ignoring the hardness of his shoulder muscles under her hand. Once clean, she began to administer the ointment on the small hole-shaped wound and just as she thought, he felt very soft to the touch. It made her skin prickle for some strange reason. The entire time they remained silent, the only sounds surrounding them being the bustling coming from the main hall where Lady Rhea and the other priests worked but also Dimitri’s uneven breathing as well. 

“Does it hurt?” Byleth asked, applying a bit more of the oily substance. 

“No, not at all,” he replied after inhaling sharply just as she placed a thick bandage over the puncture flesh. A few more seconds passed by before he added, “You feel… warm. Your touch, I mean.” 

Warm? Her? Byleth couldn’t help but peer at Dimitri questioningly. No one had called her warm… with the exception of her father. Everywhere she went, she was seen as the Ashen Demon with no emotions, a ruthless woman with no compassion. Yet he met her blue eyes with his own and in that moment, she realized perhaps to Dimitri she was a warm individual, considering how differently she treats the students and him from all other individuals she came across before living here. But also how protective she had come to be for them. 

“Thank you,” she faintly smiled at him, patting his closed hand resting on top of his knee before she stood up to start putting things back into the cabinet she found them. 

Suddenly she felt a gentle grip of Dimitri’s hand around hers, halting her movements. She glanced over her shoulder to find him peering up at her, a faint red tint spreading across his cheeks. The moment lasted for a second, a question dancing across his features before he released his hold and leaned against the soft couch.

“... are you all right?” Byleth inquired, but the only answer she received was him pursing his lips and nodding his head. 

So she continued with what she was doing, putting everything back in place and shutting the cabinet doors. To push for an answer would be wrong. Best to let him speak whenever she chose to do so. Once Dimitri was done clothing himself, they exited Manuela’s room, the future king staying behind to visit the library and Byleth retreating back to her room across the church fields to get some sleep. 

While walking, she got lectured by Sothis incessantly about how she should have made a move towards Dimitri because “you know you have feelings for him, whether you want to come to terms with it or not.”

Byleth remained silent, believing she was speaking nonsense when deep down, she probably was right… But what was blossoming inside her chest was something too strange and unfamiliar. If she could compare it to something, it would be the warmth she felt whenever she was with her father but different in an odd way. No matter how much she tried to grasp at its meaning, she could not make sense of it and she had a feeling she would not for a very long time. Rather than clumsily act on something she knew nothing of with certainty, maybe it would be in the best interest of everyone to keep quiet about it. Her fear was if she vocalized what she felt, would it not ruin the friendship she had with Dimitri? What if she was wrong and her feelings meant something completely different than what he possibly felt? 

With a soft thud, the professor fell unto her sweet-scented bed and stared at the ceiling. A frown curled her lips as she thought it was useless to think about this… So she sat up, beginning to remove her metal plating from her left knee and unbuckling her long coat. Sothis soon materialized next to her bed with arms crossed. 

“You are hopeless. You are giving up too easily,” the green-haired goddess huffed. “Are you not curious about the emotions you are feeling?” 

Byleth knitted her brows, “Sothis, I wish to not be pressured about this anymore. I’m confused. This is wrong. My duty is to provide guidance to these students, including Dimitri. Nothing more. Whatever it is I feel is not important.” 

“Completely hopeless. Fine. I will leave the subject alone,” the girl replied, crossing her legs while floating. “If you need me, you know you can talk to me.” 

“Thank you, Sothis,” she nodded just as she stuffed the small dagger she carried at her hip underneath the pillow. It was a precautionary habit she had fallen into ever since she was a child. “Good night.” 

“Good night, Byleth.” 

In the blink of an eye, Sothis vanished with a glimmer of faint light. Taking this moment of silence, Byleth chose to lay in bed under her sheets and wondered if there was a spell of some sort that could rid her of the racing thoughts swimming in her mind, including the image of Dimitri shirtless and flushed.

What she was not aware of is the turn of events that would soon rip her away from these seemingly calm days, including the Dimitri she had grown so fond of. In one swift sweep in the span of two months, Garreg Mach’s peaceful days had been stolen and the students’ future along with it. Their enemy, the Flame Emperor, was revealed to be Edelgard, the princess of the Adestrian Empire, and along with her announcement about war against the Central Church, chaos had nestled itself all across Fodlan. Nobles feared what was to come next, commoners prayed to Saint Seiros for protection, the knights in Garreg Mach prepared for the battle to come, and all the students residing there were torn between fighting for their second home or fleeing back to their families. 

It was a tragic outcome that none had expected including Byleth. Even though encounters with the Flame Emperor --or rather Edelgard-- had occurred repeatedly in the past few months along with the mysterious Solon and Kronya, she had hoped it would be resolved quickly through battles that would not affect the entire country. Her wish was foolish though… She should have prepared better. The dark magic, the horrid experiments, the kidnapping of Flayn, the sudden death of her father at the hands of Kronya… She slipped up and deep inside she was angry at herself for being blind. The signs were there, and she had believed they would end up defeating these evil enemies without falling into the clutches of war, yet here they were at the doorstep of one. 

Byleth could sense the shift in the atmosphere surrounding not just the students but all who lived within the fortified walls of Garreg Mach. Knights were making rapid preparations to defend against the impending forces of the Imperial army and Lady Rhea, along with Seteth, were formulating the best strategy with the generals of the Knights of Seiros to gain victory over Edelgard’s army. Every day Byleth would gather around the table with Shamir, Catherine, Alois, Manuela, and Hanneman to discuss the battle plan with Lady Rhea and Seteth, but a feeling of dread clung to her stomach. She needed to ensure whatever this dread was signaling would never come to pass so she worked hard in these meetings. 

One thing deeply troubled her though… 

Dimitri had changed.

The kindness in his azure eyes was gone, replaced by hatred for Edelgard. His words dripped with the thirst for blood. At times, whenever she would find him alone in the training grounds, she would try to bring up in conversation that he could speak with her about what ailed him but Dimitri would brush it off. 

“You would not understand,” he said flatly.

It stung each time he said those words to her. After all these months of being in each other’s company, he had tossed aside their friendship and had secluded himself in whatever battle raged inside of him. There were nights when she would lay awake, remembering how Dimitri’s features had become twisted with pain and anger during their battle in the Holy Tomb. In earlier battles, he had been merciless against his enemies but what she had witnessed that day was… not like him. 

Without restraint, Byleth watched as Dimitri crushed the skulls of those who stood before him and with blood on his face, he had grinned so fiendishly, he believed he had been possessed… 

What did Edelgard do to him that brought about such a change? 

“I wish you were here, Sothis, to give advice on what I should do…” Byleth had found herself muttering many nights, the hopelessness to save her friend embedded deeply in her chest.

In the end, nothing could be done.

The war had begun. The clashing of metal weapons was accompanied by the battle cries of allies and foes alike, and it rang loudly in her ears as she fought her way through the mass of soldiers. Her students were obeying her military directions, landing successful blows against the enemy as they pushed forth through in order to get to the general of said army. Dimitri had chosen to follow her commands despite the reluctance visible in his posture, and he kept close to Byleth, murdering any who tried to stop them ruthlessly. The cobblestones were painted in red, marking a gruesome battle that seemed to have no end, and Byleth hoped they would survive to see another dawn… 

It was then that things grew more difficult and Lady Rhea had been forced to become the Immaculate One. In the midst of the chaos, Byleth relied on her students’ actions moving forward so she could assist the archbishop in her struggle against the demonic beasts. However in the back of her mind, she wondered if Dimitri was okay. Fighting in such a rage could turn a man blind and if something were to happen to him… 

But before long, she had found herself in a compromising position, standing at the edge of a cliff. Desperation began to choke her as she felt the ground collapse under her and her body soon became weightless. The screams of the Immaculate One pierced her ears, followed shortly by those of her beloved Blue Lion pupils. 

As the darkness swallowed her whole, Byleth could’ve swore she heard Dimitri call out her name.


	2. Ghost of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “All the king's horses and all the king's men  
Couldn't put me back together again“
> 
> — Karmina (song)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys and gals! 
> 
> Chapter 2 is out and I am pretty happy with it. Some of the sayings are from the game, some are paraphrased a bit but of course, the source material is from Fire Emblem: 3 Houses (saying this just in case). This will also be the one of two chapters I snatch directly from the game. The rest will be things that happen in between. 
> 
> But I hope I am doing these two justice and I am ready for the angst~ Let me know in the comments section whatcha think so far~!

Darkness.

It swirled around Byleth, swallowing her whole and leaving her paralyzed.

The silence was deafening. Was she dead? If this was the afterlife, she thought of how lonely it was… All the church’s teachings had been wrong. This state of being was torture in itself. However, very rarely a dream— no, a memory— would greet her as she floated all alone in the dark abyss.

Glimpses of Annette cooking happily with Byleth, wearing her cute, orange apron stained with a red sauce. She had successfully cooked her first meal without any explosive accidents. Her joy was so great she wrapped her arms around the professor and hugged her tightly, bouncing a little in place.

Another of Mercedes and her sitting in a pew at the church, their hands folded on their laps in respect and just the presence of the other bringing comfort. No words needed to be exchanged. They were content being with each other in silence.

Ashe bringing Byleth a stack of books from the library right to her quarters, suggesting she read them in her spare time since they were some of his favorite stories. His smile was bright when she came to him the next day and agree they were great reads.

Another memory formed of Dedue teaching her about the flowers from Duscur planted in the greenhouse. The gentle way he spoke about them had captured her attention and by the end of their talk, he had promised to someday show her his homeland. Or rather, what was left of it. Despite the sadness in his eyes at the mention of Duscur, he seemed grateful for her enthusiasm.

A flash and then her three pupils appeared. Ingrid was wielding a training lance in front of her, one foot behind as a grin graced her lips. Byleth was to her right, also holding a lance as were Felix and Sylvain as well. They were training while having a two-on-two match. The girls had proven the point they were stronger than the boys and they had grown visibly annoyed. But soon they were laughing about it except for Felix who swore he would gain more strength soon and this defeat would not occur again. Yet he wore a grin as he said so, followed by Sylvain laughing at him and Ingrid taunting him.

The scene shifted again, the delicate hands of Flayn holding a flower crown up to Byleth who bowed her head to let her place it there. “You look wonderful, professor,” she said with glee in her voice.

Suddenly the memory vanished and was replaced by Dimitri, his broad back turned to her and the breeze swaying his short blonde hair. Despite wanting to see his face and his piercing blue eyes, all she heard him say was, “I will be your sword and shield, professor. Always.”

Before long, he had vanished and the darkness felt thicker than before. It was choking her almost but no panic came. Whatever this realm was, whether the afterlife or not, it would not stop her from finding the people she had come to treasure so deeply. She must return to them, but she was tired. She felt shackled to wherever she was, unable to move, unable to properly think… 

“You must live on, my child. The world awaits.”

_Rhea?_

“You… How long do you intend to sleep?” 

_...Sothis, is that you?_

“Your body is awake. Your eyes must open now, and you must find the strength to stand upon those legs of yours. Like so much rain, a pool of blood has fallen to the ground… As spears and arrows pierce the earth, it weeps. And even now… it weeps. In order to survive, they kill. And so, the people of this world are lost in an abyss of suffering. They weep as well. The only one who truly knows the nature of such things is I… or rather, you.”

_But I’m tired. My body won’t respond. I feel… weak. I’m still sleepy somehow._

“You are a complete and utter fool! Have you not changed one bit?! Get on your feet right now! I’ll coddle you no more! You are just like a child, always needing me to hold your hand…”

_You are right, Sothis._

“Then awake, Byleth!”

Suddenly a glimmer of light broke through the darkness, rapidly spreading and bringing with it the sensation of water underneath her form. The numbness that kept her paralyzed before disappeared and the growing sounds of birds singing stirred her from what seemed to have been a very long sleep. 

Her fingers closed around the hard surface under them, blades of grass crumpling in them and the smell of mud fully overwhelming her senses. 

“Hey, are you all right?” 

Slowly and carefully Byleth rose to her feet, her head spinning a little but soon able to see the world around her. Standing before her was a man, his clothes dirty and his eyes filled with concern. 

“Miss, are you okay?”

Byleth nodded, although she was feeling so disoriented. Her head spun slightly. “Where am I?”

“You’re in the outskirts of the abandoned monastery that lies past the hill there,” he answered, boring his eyes unto her with worry. 

“Wait…” Byleth shook her head, unsure if she heard him correctly. Did he say…? “What do you mean abandoned?”

“Well the thing is… the Church of Seiros is no more. It has been for five years after the Adestrian Empire attacked it. After the battle and the disappearance of the archbishop, it was left behind. None of us villagers know what happened.”

Her light green eyes widened in shock. “That can’t be…. Five years?” 

“It’s the Ethereal Moon of the year 1185. Tomorrow was the Millenium Festival but none of us villagers, or anyone really, have time to think of that since the war is still ongoing and the archbishop is missing.” 

The Millenium Festival. Of course! Perhaps the promise would be kept— oh, what was she thinking? Knowing her precious students, they will be there. Byleth was certain of it. 

The villager pushed on, “Uh, pardon me but… Did you hit your head or something, miss? Do you need me to take you to the village priest?” 

Lost in thought, she reprimanded herself for slumbering all of this time when everyone needed her the most. Has the Imperial queen, Edelgard, succeeded? Where was everyone? Surely still alive; after all, they were so resilient and wise to know how to survive. She must meet with them again, as soon as possible.

Her mind then focused on the news the villager spoke about in regards to the archbishop. Rhea was missing? From what she remembered, she transformed into that giant dragon but what happened to her after that? Was she captured by Edelgard’s forces? Byleth grew frustrated at the lack of knowledge of what had occurred when she fell into the chasm. She felt guilty for being careless.

Determined to find them all, she walked around the villager to begin her trek across the small town but he stopped her, “Wait, slow down. Where are you going?”

“The monastery.” 

“Are you crazy? Thieves have been seen ravaging the place of its treasures and there’s plenty of other dangers possibly lurking there. You must be insane, especially with rumors that Imperial troops that went there to investigate and got slaughtered. No one survived! The same could happen to you.” 

“I am stronger than you think,” Byleth answered while glancing at him over her shoulder and tilting her body enough to where she could flash him her relic sword secured at her hip. “Besides my students are waiting for me.”

Before he could say anything more, Byleth began to run, her legs pulsing in pain from the lack of exercise due to her immobility for so many years. But she shoved the feeling to the side, her only motivation being the knowledge that if five years have passed, everyone would keep to their promise.

The promise of reuniting at the Garreg Mach Monastery.

It was frankly a gamble to trust her instincts that someone aside from thieves would be residing in the monastery despite its abandonment but those same instincts had never failed her before. So she ran as fast as she could, through the forest terrain and up the cobblestone path. Remembering the secret entry through the bushes on the southwestern wall of the monastery, Byleth crawled through it and emerged on the other side, beginning once again her run to cut through the empty fields. She slowed down to a jog once she reached the formerly crowded marketplace, which greeted her as a desolate place. The rest of the fortress was in the same condition, some of its stone walls collapsed and barren. Chunks of wall were missing like if blasts had punctured it. To see the place she had come to care for deeply being reduced to ruins brought the familiar feeling of sorrow that had once filled her at the Red Canyon. 

However Byleth searched through every main room, in hopes to find someone. Instead what she found was the corpses of Imperial soldiers whom she believed were the same ones from the rumor that the villager had told her about. They littered the grounds here and there with pools of dried blood under them, the metal helmets crushed in and their faces torn grotesquely to shreds… like if fingers had dug at it. But then she spotted more blood speckled on the stone hallway. It was fresh, based on its color and it led up the stairs to her left. Did it belong to a thief or perhaps someone who sought refuge in the church? They were wounded, it seemed, by the amount of blood that trailed up the staircase. 

She followed the trail, finding more bodies of Imperial soldiers. Silently she stepped around them, concluding the blood belonged to them, until she reached the top floor, rays of sunlight piercing the room through the gaping hole in the ceiling. She then found a silhouette crouched at the far end, submerged in shadows. Its form was large, and for a moment Byleth wondered if it was a beast of some sort. 

Carefully with one hand on the hilt of the Sword of the Creator, she approached quietly as to not disturb the creature. But the closer she got, the more she felt dread nestle itself in the pit of her stomach. Something was telling her to brace herself and she was glad for it because before her was Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. 

His head was lowered, blonde locks veiling his features and his darkened armor had blood decorating it. The black and white fur coat upon his shoulders was thick and heavy-looking, creating the illusion of a large beast. In his hand was a relic lance weapon, the sharpened tip pointed to the heavens. Dimitri did not move and she was wondering if he could sense her presence at all or if perhaps he was sleeping, maybe even choosing to ignore her. 

Stepping into the light, Byleth stretched her hand towards him and he lifted his gaze up, hair draped over his bloodied face. The sight in front of her took the wind out of her lungs… The Dimitri she knew was not here anymore. In his stead was a broken man who looked lost and feral. The kindness in his gaze was gone, replaced with a hollowness that made her shiver with sorrow. It was empty, void of emotion and for a moment, she wondered if that’s how she looked when they first met… His hair had grown long, cascading down to his broad shoulders. Blood that was not his own dripped freely from his chiseled face down to his obsidian armor. Then Byleth bore into the right side of his face, straight into the black patch that covered his eye… 

What happened to him during her absence? 

A sting came to her mint-colored eyes and she fought back the sudden urge to cry. The sense of guilt prickled inside her chest, because if she had not vanished, she could have protected him from whatever had destroyed him all these years. It was her duty as their professor to not allow anything to occur to her students, and yet… Here he was, the complete opposite of what Dimitri used to be. Instead of letting her thoughts gnaw at her, Byleth kept her hand raised before him with the hope he would take it, let her lift him up after so long. It would not make up for lost time but she could begin to mend his wounds if Dimitri could accept her gesture.

Finally Dimitri spoke, his voice slightly hoarse and deeper than before. “I will kill that woman… She took everything from me, from us. I swear it.” Then his glare softened for a brief second, focusing on Byleth for the first time before gasping in shock. “You… How is this possible? You’re alive?!”

Gently the professor kneeled before him and placed her hands on her knees, brows knitted in deep worry. “Dimitri…” 

“No!” he suddenly growled, rising to his feet and towering over her slender form with his lance’s hilt gripped tightly, as if ready to attack at any moment. “You… You are another Imperial spy! Did you come here to kill me? Did that monster Edelgard send you? Tell me, Professor!” 

Her hands gripped into a fist, keeping herself composed despite the abrupt change in the prince. The anger he felt was understandable. She remembered distinctly how furious he had become when Edelgard exposed her identity as the Flame Emperor, but she could not deny it hurt her to hear Dimitri call her an enemy. His voice though sounded so pained, full of sorrow. 

So she rose to her feet, glancing up to meet his fiery scowl while frowning sadly. She was not afraid of him, not at all. All Byleth wished to do was help him…

“Dimitri, you know that is not true,” the former mercenary softly uttered, taking slow steps towards him. “I am sorry for leaving you. I am sorry for breaking my promise to keep you safe. Dimitri, I’m here now.” 

Her frown deepened when no answer was muttered, mint-colored eyes lidded heavily by the overwhelming sadness she felt. What a strange feeling, one she could nearly compare to what she had experienced before when her father died in her arms but somehow different. The sense of hopelessness, of anguish at the loss of someone because at that moment, Byleth felt she had lost someone so dear to her and he had been replaced by a stranger. The man who stood before her wore Dimitri’s features but the kind, caring person he used to be was buried deep, shackled by the tragedy of his past and the betrayal of Edelgard. The Dimitri she had come to care so intensely is no longer here but she will be damned if she didn’t try to help him find himself again. Dimitri needed Byleth more than ever and she would do her best to help him fight his inner demons.

“I’m glad you’re safe.” 

The former prince walked past her, stopping right at the staircase before whispering, “Am I?” 

His hoarse voice was thick with melancholy and before she could say anything else, he began his descend to the bottom floor. Byleth simply followed, sensing Dimitri was calmer now and no longer feeling threatened by her presence. 

They walked in silence for a few minutes, going through abandoned rooms and the only sounds she could hear were that of their footsteps. Eventually they arrived at the great church, the altar collapsed in and reduced to rubble. The rest of the church seemed fine, dusty and covered with leaves, but it could have been worse. They approached the destroyed altar and she watched as Dimitri raised his head to the shattered window for a brief moment before he sighed heavily.

“Dimitri, what has happened to you in these past five years?” Byleth inquired, keeping her distance in order to make him comfortable. 

“I have been dead, more or less,” he replied flatly, his back facing her. 

Dead?

She pressed on, “Why do you say that?” 

His shoulders stiffened and anger underlined his response, “What do you gain by asking me that? There are more important matters we need to speak about…”

Byleth remained quiet, allowing him to continue.

“There are rats everywhere. Filthy rats. Traces of those who lived here long ago. Thieves, they come in drones thanks to the promise of treasure.” He scoffed, “Ever since the monastery fell, the order in the area has fallen with it. I am sure you saw the state of the town near Garreg Mach. Thieves do as they please; they pillage and take whatever loot they find to their hearts’ content. They’re vile in my eyes and I will kill them. Every single one of them. I will find their whereabouts and kill them all with my bare hands.”

The violent desires had not subsided but instead were controlling his every thought, it seemed. Byleth pursed her lips, wondering how to approach the situation. Dimitri was not the same so she needed to carefully speak with him in order to squeeze herself back into his new way of living, at least in the meantime. Once she gained his trust again, Byleth would begin to work at restoring him back to his former self. Not that she wanted to change him against his will but guide him out of the shadows and into the light. A part of her feared death would snatch him away if his thirst for violence and blood continued to drag him down a path of no return. 

So she crossed her arms and asked, “How many? Do you know where to begin searching for them?”

Dimitri finally faced her, his one eye narrowing down on her. “Fifteen rats, based on my surveillance for the past week. I’m sure once I begin to kill them, more will crawl out. Why do you ask? Do you intend to help?”

“Yes, if you allow me to.” 

He groaned lowly, “Do as you please. Don’t slow me down, got it?” 

“I won’t. I’ll help you get rid of them.” 

“...fine. Let’s go.”

Thankful he agreed to her assistance, Byleth followed him closely behind out of the church and across Garreg Mach. They began their walk down to the village where the thieves were but her mind rested on Dimitri, not their current mission. At this point in time, all she could hope to be was his protector and shoulder to lean on because his change of heart was like night and day. The polite, groomed prince had transformed into a warrior enshrouded in darkness.

Oh. This brought back a memory of when they had first met. Even then, Byleth had sensed darkness in him… and seeing him in this state, she wondered just how badly he had been hurting even before Edelgard betrayed them all. 

It was settled. Byleth would do anything in her power to fight off whatever afflicted him, so she gripped her sword’s hilt, ready to be his sword and shield.

_You won’t be alone, Dimitri. I will save you no matter how long it may take._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also I am getting inspiration from a Spotify playlist I found. Give it a listen when you have a chance.
> 
> Playlist is called, “I Will Never Abandon You” by frostiefrost.
> 
> For this chapter though, it was Ghost of You by My Chemical Romance.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know how you liked it :’3 I’m already writing chapter 2 and am halfway done;;;


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